Page 61 of The Empress

Holy shit.

I stare at Leo’s side profile while his words sink in.

Damn, I forgot how handsome he is.

I take in the scruff on his jaw, which only makes him more attractive, and when my stomach flutters, I quickly glance at Mom.

“But we don’t have proof,” Leo adds. “That’s the only reason Nicolo is still alive.”

“Haven and I have nothing to do with the mafia. We knew nothing about the shady business Nicolo is involved in until we arrived in Italy. We have people in the States who will ask questions.”

Leo doesn’t respond to what Mom says.

When she opens her mouth to speak again, I shake my head. “Don’t. He’s letting us see each other, and you’re out of that mansion. One battle at a time.”

“Listen to your daughter,” Leo murmurs.

Mom’s eyes drift over my face, then she whispers, “You need to eat more.”

“I will. I just haven’t had much of an appetite.”

Leo turns up a driveway, and I glance at the house that has vines growing up the side of the walls. There are rose bushes and various other flowers and plants, giving the yard a cozy feel.

It looks like something out of a fairytale.

A man stands up from where he’s sitting on a bench, and when he kills a cigarette in an ashtray, I catch a glimpse of the gun tucked in behind his back.

He’s probably a guard.

“It looks pretty here,” I whisper to Mom while Leo gets out of the Porsche.

“Yeah, but now I have to live with a woman who hates us.” Worry tightens her features as she glances over the garden. “Love her roses, though.”

Mom’s always had a green thumb.

“It’s only for a little while. Leo said he’ll get you a house soon.”

Mom’s eyes lock on me. “And you believe him?”

I push the door open while shrugging. “The past two weeks I’ve been alone, and it was absolute hell. I’m choosing to cling to hope right now, or I’ll go completely insane.”

When I climb out of the car, Leo stands right by the door, his eyes drifting over my face. I see worry and something else darkening his brown irises, and it makes something stir in my chest.

It looks like he actually cares about me.

At least he doesn’t have me tied up somewhere.

The thought pops suddenly into my mind, and I realize even though things have been bad, they could’ve been so much worse.

While we wait for Mom to get out of the car, Leo places his hand on my lower back. With him standing right by me, I get awhiff of his addictive woodsy scent, and it has tingles spreading around the area he’s touching me.

Your reaction is only because you’ve been starved for human contact.

As we walk to the front door, his hand gently brushes up and down my back, and it feels as if he’s trying to give me some comfort.

I try to ignore the way my stomach flutters and my skin tingles.

A nervousness that makes me super aware of Leo has me grabbing hold of Mom’s arm. When she looks at me, I give her a smile that I hope looks real.